We’ve now opened our first new shop of 2018 – in Rhayader, Wales. It’s the first of over 100 new stores and 150 renovations we’ll do this year; we reckon that’s more than the four biggest food retailers put together.

We’ll be opening shops in communities right across the UK – from Banchory in Aberdeenshire to Brighton on the South Coast – and are creating 1,600 new jobs in the process. And we also recently announced that we’ll be expanding in another way, by becoming the wholesale supplier to Costcutter and Nisa.

Why are we growing?

We want to be at the heart of local life, to bring people together and to be there for our members and customers when and where they need us. Opening the right stores, with the right products, in the right locations is really important in helping us get there.

We’ve spent a lot of time getting these three things right and every year just keeps getting better and better. Our expansion plans for 2018 will mean that the Co-op is on track to have opened over 700 new and refitted stores in three years.

Involving our members

The Co-op is owned by members, not by investors or shareholders, that’s what makes us different. We welcomed over a million new members last year, all of whom can have a say in what we do and the causes we champion.

One of the way members can get involved is by suggesting locations for new stores. If we take their suggestion forward, we’ll send them £500 worth of Co-op gift vouchers as a thank you. The next member-selected store is opening its doors in York this Spring.

If you’d like to find out more about the suggest a site scheme, read Richard Williams’ blog post about why he likes Membership and how he feels about seeing his suggested shop open and serving the community.

we have just got a new CO-OP in mullion.its a shame you dont think about light pollution.
we live right next door and have nothing but grief with deliverys at 6am and lights shinning
into our property until 11.30pm. and we have not had any one from the CO-OP around to comment on this.perhaps you might be able to make some comments on this problem

I am pleased to see the Co-op have finally started work on our new shop in Mullion Helston Cornwall. They are converting the old Post Office building and once open will incorporate a Post Office counter. I really look forward to this opening since our Co-op in Helston closed and this will be nearer to home for me.

this store is closing tomorrow the 1st nov and new store is opening in college green. i work for st augustines and the new store is very spacious and well stocked with many new varieties, look forward to serving you all

Hi Chris, We don’t publish a list of stores I’m afraid. I can’t see any stores planned for Cornwall currently but that’s not to say we won’t be opening any. You are always welcome to suggest a site here: https://www.coop.co.uk/forms/suggest-a-site ^Siobhan

Hi, I am to understand building has been passed for a co op to be built in stewartby bedfordshire, can you give me the dates as to when this may start, I am keen to be a member of the team, Thank you, helen

I am from Berlin.I haved worked in Berlin at coop handels AG.
I have seen that coop want open 100 new super-markets in wales and england.
This is a good story, that you have the same coop in London, as we had in berlin until the year 1993.

You are supposed to be opening a store in Mullion Helston Cornwall, I believe there was talk of it opening in February this year. That clearly will not happen now as the building was obtained in September last year and no work has even started on the building yet. I would like to know what is happening please?

Re: prospective new stores combined with opportunities for people trafficked

Would you consider opening a large store on marginal farm land to sponsor a new secondary school and surrounding estate of affordable houses? Between Bath and Chippenham off the A350 there are sites but it needs to push the envelop. This would also replace a derelict special school.

Hi Eileen. Feel free to suggest a site to our Estates team here http://www.coop.co.uk/forms/suggest-a-site – Regarding the concept of independent co-operatives, I hope this blog post will help explain 🙂 coop.uk/differentcoops Let me know what you think. ^Ian

I love this bank, when I go in I recognise the same people behind the counter, I’m gutted the co op group have deceided to close this branch down, as there isn’t a co op near us for miles now 😪 I hope the staff were redeployed and not lost their jobs, I hope co op group reconsider and don’t close this branch down, if it’s the town rent take it to the kingswood area and build a combined unit of a co op food shop bank and electrical and bed building, there would be a market for this type of building, also Hull city itself is disgusted and and gutted as it’s the only branch in hull, please reconsider or follow my suggestions

I’m hoping Beverley Road, hull, were asda express and Aldi an kfc are, I really hope one goes around that area it’s roughly 151 Beverley Road hull area (those numbers) also by the way I’m gutted you closed the co op bank in hull as now we don’t have one at all

I would very much like you to open a store in Wells. You had a large store in the High Street , which was taken by “What”, they are now closing, the store is being taken by Wilkinsons , if this happens it is possible , that the hardware shop here may close, that is a good site with parking at the back. Another shop in the High Street is closing , a sign of the times.
Would you consider opening a shop here in Wells,?
We need a grocery store in the High Street, sure it would also be used by the tourists , that flock here. As there is a Morrisons , a Lidls, and a Waitrose all off the main thorough fare. A convenience store would be the ideal.. Is it worth continuing to look for an available site?
Only I co-op in the area all others Southern or Radstock none in Wells.
Apparently my co-op card is only valid in a co-op store, the, othersuse a different card, I feel this is very uncooperative way of doing business.
I cannot understand the concept of “independent” co-ops..

Sorry to hear you think this John. We’ve been working hard on our prices so that we offer every day value while supporting our local farmers and producer and Fairtrade farmers around the world. ^Catherine

John: Co-op prices should be compared to similar size stores like Tesco and Saintsbury local and not the big shed stores.
A lot of investment has been put into addressing the price issue and the Co-op compares very well, like for like.
The Co-op membership card is way ahead of Tesco Clubcard, too.

I am delighted with the news but i feel your managers need more training in the COOP ethos and what they should be stocking. I cannot find a single fair trade decaff coffee in my 3 local COOP stores and was disgusted to find several brands of Nescafe. Even Kenco has a fairtrade policy and is working with disadvantaged youngsters. Nescafe does nothing for any community as far as I can see and is only interested in profit.

Hello Oriole, we are fully committed to Fairtrade so it’s unusual to hear there is no Fairtrade Coffee in your local stores. If you could contact the customer care team on customer.careline@coop.co.uk they can look into this for you. ^Catherine